>> good evening. diane is off this friday night, as we come on the air, a mass exodus is under way. 93 million americans trying to make their way home for the holidays, in the wake of a monster storm. and all day, from l.a. to new york, we saw the pictures. families stranded at airports. and look, every dot a plane. though hundreds of flights never made it off the ground and here's why. highways iced over, turned into skating rinks and powerful winds. you can see how ferocious. that's not the ocean. it's the normally calm waters of lake michigan. the ice, wind and snow, a headache for travelers. tonight abc's meteorologist ginger zee is tracking it all from one of the busiest airports in the nation, chicago. ginger?

>> reporter: almost 500 flights were canceled here in chicago alone, causing a domino effect across the nation, ruining some plans and delaying a whole lot of others. the holiday rush is on. airports packed with frustration and fiasco. >> they told us they can't fly us out of here until monday, which is two days after our cruise leaves. >> reporter: more than 1,600 flights yesterday and today, canceled. among those affected -- the apter family. >> it's frustrating. we're going home, we're not happy. their nine months of planning a family trip to peru -- erased. ripple effects from thursday's storm felt all the way to los angeles. >> i had to wait 45 minutes to see somebody to change my next flight. >> reporter: the storm that caused all that unhappiness -- but it ripped scaffolding in new york city today, rocked rough waves across the great lakes, and left far from perfect roads for the 83 million expected to hit them this weekend.

we took an icy drive from des moines to chicago. we're going east on i-80, going only 20 miles per hour. it's a full ice rink, even though the skies are completely blue and look at the westbound lanes. they've been like that for about a half mile. we don't know how long that goes. there are new weather woes on the west coast too. heavy rain drenching the pacific northwest causing landslides in oregon, and shutting down rail service in parts of washington state after 11 landslides in three days. the weather this weekend is a whole lot quieter, so good news, aside from the storm in the west. next question, who gets a white christmas? look at this map. the rockies, the plains, where we had the blizzard, plenty of cold to keep the snow there and northeast and new england could see a little fresh white, at least in some parts. cynthia? >> thank you, ginger. we move on to a somber anniversary. at 9:30 this morning, the nation observed a moment of silence to mark one week since the tragedy in newtown, connecticut. church bells rang out, one for

each victim and two more for the shooter and his mother. in washington, the president marked the moment, bowing his head in the oval office. within hours, another kind of silence was broken with the powerful national rifle association's defiant new message. here's abc's senior justice correspondent, pierre thomas. >> the nra has blood on its hands! shame on the nra! >> reporter: the nra leader had barely begun when protesters blamed the powerful lobby for the nation's epidemic of gun violence. >> nra, stop killing our children! >> reporter: but the nra was defiant. after remaining silent in the wake of the worst elementary school shooting in the nation's history, wayne lapierre was on the attack, blaming others for the recent carnage. high on the list, violent video games. >> there exists in this country,

a callous, corrupt, and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people. >> reporter: nra officials insist new laws restricting gun owners, including a ban on assault rifles, won't work. the primary solution the nra offers, armed security in every school. >> the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun. >> reporter: critics pounced. >> the nra's blanket call to arm our schools is really nothing more than a distraction. >> reporter: new york city mayor michael bloomberg called the nra statement a shameful evasion of the crisis. earlier in an interview with abc news "nightline" anchor cynthia mcfadden, bloomberg put some of the blame for gun violence at the feet of the gun lobby. the mayor wants what he calls reasonable restrictions, a ban on assault rifles and high capacity magazines. >> our society finally has woken

up and said, we are going to do this whether you like it or not. >> reporter: as for putting armed security guards in schools some authorities support the concept of more police there but say there's no money to do so on such a huge scale. while the nra suggested some of the work could be done by volunteers, "the wall street journal" estimates it would cost $6.7 billion. and will it work? in some cases, perhaps. but at columbine, students were killed despite the fact armed police were there. two of the nation's biggest teachers unions were sharply critical of the nra proposal, one saying the nra is delusional. >> thanks, pierre. on sunday the man who will spearhead the nra's push to put armed guards in schools will sit down with george stephanopoulos on "this week." now to the wrangling over the fiscal cliff, sending shock waves across america's 401(k)s. take a look.

the dow closed down more than 120 points, with the deadline just 11 days away and lawmakers heading home for the holidays. shortly before we came on the air, the president came out swinging with a message for congress. abc's chief white house correspondent jonathan karl tells us where things stand tonight. >> reporter: in the halls of congress tonight, not a creature is stirring. no deal is in sight. with a deadline looming and seemingly no hope anywhere, the president made one last appeal tonight before washington goes on vacation. >> as we leave town for a few days to be with our families for the holidays, everybody can cool off. everybody can drink some eggnog. now is not the time for more self-inflicted wounds. certainly not those coming from washington. >> reporter: but the two sides don't even seem to be trying anymore. what are we going to do now? >> i'm interested in solving the major problems that face our

country. that means house leaders, senate leaders and the president are going to continue to work together to address those concerns. >> reporter: speaker boehner says the only way out is a deal that cuts spending and reforms the tax code. even he seemed to suggest that is virtually impossible now. >> how we get there, god only knows. >> reporter: boehner attempted a so-called plan b last night, a bill that would have extended tax cuts for everybody except millionaires, but his own plan was rejected by his own party, in the face of opposition from conservatives unwilling to see taxes go up on anybody at all. >> reporter: let me get this straight, you won't support raising taxes on people who make over a million dollars a year? >> i won't support raising taxes on any american. >> reporter: people that make $10 million? >> absolutely. >> so with the president heading to hawaii and congress on holiday, how do they come to a deal before the end of the year? >> congress will return two days after christmas, so there's some time, a little time, for them to

try to do what they have failed to do for months. as for the president, he said he although he's going to hawaii, he said he will fly back to finalize any deal if there's a deal to be finalized, sometime after christmas and before the new year. but it takes time to pass an agreement even once it's reached. >> we shall see. thank you, jonathan karl reporting. one more note from washington. president obama nominated senator john kerry to succeed hillary clinton as secretary of state. secretary clinton who was still recovering from a concussion, was not there, but in a statement called the pick excellent. president obama's first choice for the job, susan rice withdrew her name after coming under fire about the tragedy in benghazi, libya. now an update on that prison break. two convicted robbers scaling 17 stories with a rope made out of bed sheets.

then impossibly hailing a cab to freedom. tonight, a new twist. abc's john schriffen has our story. >> reporter: he pulled off a daring escape from prison, but now joseph "jose" banks is busted. appearing in court this afternoon, after nearly three days on the run. the fbi arresting him late last night in chicago. >> yeah, it's kind of scary. but i thought that they'd, like, go far away. >> reporter: we now know both accomplished bank robbers, joseph banks seen here on surveillance video, broke out of their high-rise federal penitentiary in chicago, using sheets and towels tied in the form of a rope, even stuffing clothes in their beds in the shape of bodies. they were last seen in prison at 10:00 p.m. during a head count. overnight, authorities believe they broke the window of their cell, it's still a mystery how they shimmied out of a hole only inches wide and scaled down the side of the building 17 stories. banks is now back behind bars, but for conley, the hunt is still on. john schriffen, abc news, new

york. still ahead on "world news," the great american company that you helped save for the holidays. our made in america christmas, next. [ male announcer ] when it comes to the financial obstacles military families face, we understand. at usaa, we know military life is different. we've been there. that's why every bit of financial advice we offer is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ] ♪ [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. usaa brings advice. call or visit us online. we're ready to help. starts with arthritis pain and a choice. take tylenol or take aleve, the #1 recommended pain reliever by orthopedic doctors.

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scrambling to fill those last-minute deliveries by christmas. by the way, those classic l.l. bean boots are made right here in america. here at "world news," we've been asking everyone to make this a made in america christmas. each of us spending just $64 to create up to 200,000 jobs. tonight abc's david muir has the story of one item that a lot of people are buying and helped save one american company. >> hi, david, and happy holidays. >> reporter: celia melton of new jersey saw that story on the american inventor and his bionic wrench. >> for only $19.99 at sears. >> reporter: they sold more than 200,000 wrenches with sears last christmas, kept doing business this year, then suddenly no deal for this christmas. did you wonder what was going on? >> of course, we did. >> reporter: but, then dan heard from a customer who noticed something. there was now another wrench with what appeared to be a similar mechanism on the shelf at sears. but this one made in china and sold under the sears brand craftsman.

>> reporter: in fact, side by side, listen to the old ad -- >> it grips on all six sides. >> reporter: now for their new wrench -- >> the six locking jaws. >> reporter: or this part of the pitch, before -- >> it's 14 wrenches in one. >> reporter: -- and now the new craftsman wrench. >> it replaces 14 wrenches with a single tool. >> reporter: and when he says he was surprised sears didn't order more to sell for christmas. our viewers ordered instead. >> look at this baby. this thing is great. >> reporter: miranda vow buying two for her dad and granddad. >> hopefully they're not watching. >> reporter: but viewers were sure watching and after that report, 3,000 wrenches sold. >> made in america! >> reporter: and it's not just the view here, the line outside the studio of "the view" is forming and they've come from all over america. how are you? some had a hunch why we were there. did you all pick your one thing made in america? >> of course. >> reporter: same question for the women of "the view." we're waiting for the elevator, going up to the dressing room to find out their one thing made in america. down the hall into their dressing rooms. hay -- hey, whoopi.

merry christmas. >> merry christmas. surrounding whoopi, a sea of shoes. her one thing for christmas, a pair of sidewalk boots, made in america. in every corner of the country they're still making things. >> yes. it's kinda cool. >> reporter: made in america. sherri shepherd is next. she has her one thing. she's shopping for her adopted dog, named ashley, buying doggy toys from ruffdawg, made in the usa. >> made in the usa, that's right, baby! >> reporter: to the countless viewers who found made in america toys from k'nex. so happy tonight. >> made in america! >> reporter: so proud to show us her one thing. >> this gift right here is for my husband anthony. >> reporter: a veteran u.s. marine with the state department in afghanistan. >> i was trying to figure out what to get him for christmas that's made in america. and i got it, there's nothing more american than a ford truck. >> reporter: she spent her $64 all right. >> merry christmas, david.

>> made in america, indeed. our david muir reporting. those gifts will likely be making their way across the country with the help of fedex and ups, but we wondered what about santa? what would it take to deliver one gift for each child around the world? check out these numbers. the delivery companies say it would take 46 international distribution centers and 12 million workers to make the magic happen. and that sleigh, hauling 760 million pounds of presents, delivering 9,000 a second, it would take 300 747 planes to carry that much. so good luck to santa. coming up, a great biblical mystery is answered. was noah's flood real? osteoarthritis pain. imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you, with less pain.

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tonight we have a new cl tonight we have a new clue about one of the biggest mysteries in the bible, the great flood in the story of noah's ark. abc's christiane amanpour went back to the holy land with one of the world's leading underwater archaeologists. robert ballard, the man who found the titanic on the floor of the ocean. he says there's scientific proof that the great flood did happen. >> reporter: our journey to investigate the story of noah and his ark, led us to the banks of the black sea in turkey, where we heard that tantalizing clues were being uncovered by dr. robert ballard, one of the

world's leading underwater archaeologists. >> let's get closer down. we talk about the flood being living history. they don't compare at all to the floods of ancient times. the question is, was there a mother of all floods? >> reporter: ballard thinks there was and he's testing a controversial theory, that the biblical flood happened here. >> why the black sea? because the black sea appears to have had a giant flood and people were living there. >> reporter: the theory goes, about 12,000 years ago, much of the earth was covered in ice that began to melt. then when the mediterranean swelled -- >> at some magic moment, it broke through and flooded this place violently. >> reporter: and 400 feet below the surface, ballard believes he's found proof of that catastrophic event. >> i love it. i love it, i love it! >> reporter: they unearth an ancient shoreline.

>> we've dated it, about 5,000 bc. >> reporter: and that's about the time the bible says noah and the great flood happened? >> exactly. people read the story and say, did it cover the whole planet in water? no, but it covered their world. >> reporter: christiane amanpour, abc news, new york. the entire story tonight on "back to the beginning with christiane amanpour," a two-hour television event starting at 9:00 p.m. eastern. coming up, in a week where the conversation has been about protecting our children, chris cuomo tonight asks some children for the answers. their surprising solutions, next. ns, next. means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage.

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graders take on the tough questions that grip our nation. >> why would he do that? when did he get the urge to do it? >> why does it help you to know why he did it? >> it's happened, something made him do it, so you can stop that from happening to another person, making them do it again. >> reporter: and listen to what they say about guns. are guns bad? >> not always. >> guns can be good or bad depending who's using them. >> reporter: is the answer no guns? >> no. not exactly. >> reporter: let's say, i need a gun, sell me a gun, should i be able to get it right then? >> no. >> you should limit the amount of bullets that can be in a gun. >> reporter: why do you think this happened -- the gun or the culture of violence? >> the culture. >> reporter: hard to change culture, isn't it? but as for violent movies, video games, and music, they say the problem is the user. who plays video games?

now when you see those things, does it make you want to do those things to regular people? >> oh, no. it's just a game. >> reporter: and you don't believe that the game changes your mind? >> i don't think the game is the problem. i think the person who's playing the game is the problem. >> reporter: and the controversial idea of armed guards in every school, for these kids, not so controversial. >> they could maybe hire people to walk around and watch what's going on. >> reporter: armed guards? >> yes, it would actually make me feel safe. >> reporter: and if that doesn't work, george may have the best solution of all. >> a time machine! >> reporter: time machine? >> go back in time and try to stop what happened. then you would have a shield, a strong one, a holographic one that could deflect bullets. >> reporter: these kids minds were filled with fantastic ideas, but also a solemn player. -- prayer. >> this should never have

happened, and that our life is irreplaceable. >> reporter: chris cuomo, abc news, queens, new york city. >> listening to the kids. thank you for watching. we're always here at abcnews.com. dan harris will be here this weekend. we want to leave you with a holiday song courtesy of our affiliate in sioux falls, south dakota. ksfy has christmasa the capital, in pierre, more than 90 trees decorated by people from across the state. goodnight, everybody, and i'll see you later tonight on "nightline." ♪ oork a family coping with a storm that created a soggy start. live doppler 7 hd, watching

rain, now, heavy rain, and thunder in the forecast. details coming up. >> and a major break tonight in a mansion murder. know who did it. >> good evening to you, i'm don sanchez. >> after 40 years with abc 7 news we're going to give don sanchez a proper sendoff. >> i love the rain. >> why? >> because, cleans the air. >> and the skies should be plenty clean after the rain storm across the bay area today, north bay gets a steady soaking. good evening, i'm ama daetz. >> i'm san ashley. here is a sample of the today this, turned out to be not a very good place for your car to break down.

and here is sandhya patel with a look at live doppler 7 hd. >> still tracking showers, but most of the wet weather has lightened up. let's check out live doppler 7 hd. you'll see it's still raining. the front stalled out over the bay area washed out z it's weakening. you can see the sweep tracking moderate rain around clover dale. we take you to other parts of the bay area, in the east bay here, castro valley, hayward, dublin towards main street, livermore some lighter rain is falling. union city boulevard, some rainfall now. past 24 hours, rainfall over six inches. in ve na. o more than two and a half inches in santa rosa. trace only in san jose. 300 oakland, concord, winds have been gusting, and now, you can see about 36 to